Understructure for a tuble or similar member



June 14, 1960 c. O. FIELDS 2.940. 0

UNDERSTRUCTURE FOR A TABLE: OR SIMILAR MEMBER Filed Nov. 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2,940,806 UNDERSTRUCTURE FOR A TABLE OR SIMILAR MEMBER Filed Nov. 28, 1958 C, .O- FIELDS June 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofi ice UNDERSTRUCTURE FOR A TABLE R Slll/HLAR MEMBER Clesent 0. Fields, New Castle, Ind., assignor to Peabody Seating Company, Inc., North Manchester, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Nov. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 777,065

4 Claims. (Cl. 311-410) This invention is concerned with tables and the like, and particularly has to do with the understructure thereof.

The main object of the invention is to provide a new and improved understructure which is of strong and rigid construction, will stably support the top of the table or other member, and can be easily adjusted to diiferent elevations.

While the foregoing statement is indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention, other more specific objects and advantages will be evident upon a full understanding of the nature of the improved understructure.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is presented herein by way of exemplification but it will of course be appreciated that the invention may be incorporated in other structurally modified forms coming equally the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end View of a table provided with the understructure of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same, with the top of the table removed;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary inner face view of one of the brackets and its associated two-leg structure, with a portion of the leg structure broken away;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary face view of one of the leg structures, viewed from the bracket side of the same;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is another transverse section, taken on the line 77 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of one of the brackets.

The new understructure includes two brackets 10, preferably of sheet metal construction, which are attached to the underside of the top 11 of the table or other member adjacent the ends and equidistant from the sides of the latter. The table is supported on four tubular metal legs 12, and the legs are attached in pairs to the brackets 10, preferably in downwardly and outwardly diverging relation to each other beneath the corners of the top of the table.

Each of the brackets is attached to the underside of the table independently of the other, is hollow, is of rather widely outspread box-like form, and is characterized by a vertical outer wall 13, vertical side walls 14, and a vertical inner wall 15. The inner wall is spaced substantially from the outer wall 13 and is formed in two angularly disposed sections 16, which sections are of substantially equal size and are arranged symmetrically with respect to the outer and side walls. Each of the brackets is preferably open at its bottom except for an inturned reinforcing mm 17, and is also preferably open at its top, where it is provided with out-turned flanges 18 by means of which the bracket is attached to the underside of the top 11 of the table. Each of the angularly disposed sections 16 of the inner wall 15 of each bracket is provided, in inwardly spaced relation to its outer edge, with Patented June 14, 1960 vertically arranged sets of slots 19, and is provided, in proximity to said slots, with vertically arranged apertures 20. A reinforcing bar 21 is secured against the back of each of the sections 16 behind the apertures 20 and is provided with tapped apertures 22 in register with the apertures 20. Each of the angularly disposed sections 16 of the inner wall is also provided, adjacent its junction with the other section, with vertically arranged holes 23.

The two legs 12 at each end of the table are provided at their upper ends with horizontally extending sections 24, which sections are connected together by a bridging member 25 at the same angle as the sections 16 of the inner wall 15 of the associated bracket, whereby to provide at each end of the table a composite two-leg structure 26 of inverted generally U-shaped form having a cross-portion 27 of generally V-shaped form.

The angle which is subtended by the angularly disposed sections 16 of the inner walls 15 of the brackets, as well as by the angularly disposed sections 24 of the horizontal cross-portions 27 of the leg structures, may be advantageously somewhere in the neighborhood of as shown.

Each of the horizontally extending sections 24 of the cross-portion 27 of each of the leg structures 26 has secured thereto, preferably by welding, a horizontally facing U-shaped fitting 28, which fitting embraces the section and is provided at its edges with horizontally projecting tongues 29 for interlocking engagement within certain of the slots 19 in the corresponding side section 16 of the inner wall of the associated bracket, and which fitting is also provided with an aperture 30 which passes through the back of the same. Adjacent the vertex of the angle formed between the two sections 24 of the V-shaped cross-portion 27 each of the sections is provided with a horizontally projecting pin 31 for interlocking engagement within one of the holes 23 in the corresponding section 1.6 of the inner wall 15.

The leg structures 26 are rigidly fastened to the brackets 10 by positioning the V-shaped cross-portions 27 of the brackets against the correspondingly V-shaped inner walls 15 of the brackets, with the tongues 29 on the fittings 28 in interlocked engagement with the slots 19 and with the pins 31 in interlocked engagement with the holes 23. Cap screws 32 are then passed through the apertures 30 in the backs of the fittings 28 and screwed up tightly in the tapped apertures 22 in the reinforcing bars 21 behind the apertures 20.

To permit the top 11 of the table to be adjusted vertically, two or more sets of the slots 1? and apertures 20, 22 and 23 are provided in each of the sections 16 of the inner walls 15 of the brackets for coaction with the attaching means of the leg structures 26 in as many different vertical positions.

I claim:

1. An under-structure for a table or similar member, including brackets at opposite ends of the table which are attached to the underside of the table, and legs for the table comprising two leg structures, one at each end of the table, of inverted generally U-shaped form, each of said brackets having a vertical inner wall composed of two angularly disposed wall sections, which sections are provided with vertically spaced slots and tapped apertures, and each of said leg structures being characterized r 3 r V 2. An understructure for a table or similar member, including brackets at opposite ends of the table which are attached at their upper ends to the underside of the table, and; tubular legs for the table comprising two leg structitres, one at each end of the table, ofiriverted generally U-shaped'form', each of said brackets being of hollow box-like form and having'a vertical inner wall composed 'ofi t'wo angularly disposed wall sections, which sections are providedwith vertically spaced slots and tapped apertures, and'each of said leg structures being characterized by a horizontally disposed cross-portion composed of two 'angularly disposed sections, horizontally directed U- shaped fittings secured to each of said'sectionls' andprovided at their edges with horizontally projecting tongues for interlocking engagement with said slots, and also provided with apertures in the backs thereof, and cap screws extending through the apertures in the backs of the fittings of each of said leg structures into screw threaded engagement with the tapped apertures in the angularly disposed sections of the'inner wall of each of said brackets.

- 3. 'An understructure for a table or similar member,

including brackets at opposite ends of the table which are attached at their upper ends to the underside of the table, and tubular legs for the table comprising two leg structures, one at each end of the table, of inverted generally U-shaped form, each of said brackets being of hollow box-like form and having a vertical inner wall composed of two angularly disposed Wall sections, which sections are provided with vertically spaced slots and tapped apertures, and each of said leg structures being characterized by a horizontally disposed cross-portion composed of two angularly disposed sections, horizontally directed U-shaped fittings secured to each of said sections and provided at their edges with horizontally projecting tongues for interlocking engagement with said slots, and

' also provided with apertures in the backs theref, and

cap. screws extending through the apertures in the backs of the fittings of each of said leg structures into screw "threaded engagement with the tapped apertures in the angularly disposed sections of the inner wall of each of Ts'aid brackets, the slots and tapped apertures in the anguljarly disposed wall sections of the inner wall of each" of said brackets being located adjacent the far edges of saidsections, said sections being additionally provided 2,940,806 J I 7, V.

adjacent their meeting edges with holes, and the angularly disposed sections of the cross-portion of. each. of said leg structures being provided with horizontally projecting pins for interlocking engagement with said holes.

4. An understructure for a table or similar membenin- 'cluding brackets at opposite ends of the table which are attached attheir upper snare the underside of the table,

and tubular legs for the table comprising two leg structures, one at each end of the table, oiinverte'd generally U-shaped form, each of said brackets being of hollow box-like form and having a vertical inner wall composed of two angularly disposed wall sections,,which;sections are provided with vertically spaced slots and tapped apertures, and each of said leg structuresbeing characterized by a horizontally disposed cross-portion composed of two angularly' disposed sections, horizontally directed U- shaped fittings secured to each of said sections and provided at their edges with horizontally projecting tongues for interlocking engagementwith said slots, and also pro- ,vided with apertures in the backs thereofiand cap. screws extending through the apertures in'the backs of 'thefittings of each of said leg structures. into screw threaded engagement Withthfi tapped aperturesin the angularly disposed sections of the innerwall of each of said brackets, the. slots and'tap'pedeapertures inithe angularly disposed wall sections of the inner wall of each of said brackets being located adjacent .the far edges of said sections, saidsections being additionallyprovided adjacent their meeting edges/with holes, and the angularly'disposed sections of the cross-portion of each of said leg structures being provided with horizontally projecting pins forinterlocking engagementwith said holes, :each of said brackets. being open top and bottom, being provided about its top with an outturned attaching flange, and being provided about its bottom with an'inturned r-irn.

References Cited in' the file o thispatent UNITED STATES l ATENTS rDromgol --V--.-. F 27', 

